I suspect that Drucker was thinking along the lines you draw, here. I would bet that the key part is your projection of the process into the daily functioning of the organization – I expect that this was the key to Drucker’s emphasis on the topic, and one reason why he said there is no template for implementing these activities.

Personally, I view these (values and character – particularly if you mean by the latter corporate identity) as more properly owner – not manager – activities, more properly carried out by owners or directors than by top management. But those just may be my own windmills to tilt at. Practice, expecially though far from exclusively in the US, drives things more to the manner in which you describe it.

Under those circumstances, of course, your assignment of this role to the CEO would seem to me to be exactly right.

Thanks for stopping by with this!

This is one of those deeply thought-provoking pieces.

Drucker’s use of the word “conscience” immediately struck me as delving into the realm of values and character. If that’s the case, I suppose I’d opt for those being defined by the CEO and direct reports and acted out as an integral part of daily behavior across the organization.

But I’m not 100% sure of his intent on this one, Jim, so it’s an educated guess.